Chelsea fans may not appreciate Rafael Benitez but there are other people who certainly do.

For the Spaniard has been named Barclays Manager of the Month for April, just a fortnight before he signs off from Stamford Bridge.

Last month, the interim boss saw Chelsea take 10 points out of a possible 12, the only blot being a 2-2 draw at Liverpool, where his old club snatched an equaliser in the 96th minute.

Chelsea are now third in the table and while Benitez won’t be there next season a top-four finish would at least mean that the new boss, almost certainly Jose Mourinho, can look forward to Champions League football next term.

Benitez could also sign off with a trophy after the Blues completed a 5-2 aggregate win over Basle to book their place in the Europa League Final against Benfica on May 15.

The Barclays Player of the Month award went to Robin van Persie. The Dutch striker hit six goals in five games for Manchester United in April, including a hat-trick in their title clinching 3-0 victory against Aston Villa.